Gardening is a great way to cut down costs on produce at the grocery store. But did you know that there are many mental and physical benefits to gardening as well?
Mental Health
After a long, hard year, we are all in need of a few new techniques to recharge and take care of our mental health. As a natural stress reducer, gardening is a great place to start.
As UNC Health internal medicine physician Robert Hutchins, MD, MPH explains in this article from UNC Health Talk, “Gardening gives you a chance to focus on something and put your mind at work with a goal and a task in mind, which is helpful… just to see things growing and things thriving.”
Additionally, gardening can help build new connections. And, according to this article Great Good (Berkley), social activity can help prevent cognitive decline.
Physical Wellbeing
Gardening is great for an individual’s physical wellbeing as well. The activity promotes more time outside, allowing gardeners to get more sunlight and vitamin D.
Furthermore, Gardening Gone Wild reports that the repetitive tasks that gardening requires demand strength and stretching of various muscles. This process allows all the major muscle groups to get a proper workout, helping to decrease the likelihood of osteoporosis.
Also, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that individuals can burn up to 330 calories per hour of light gardening or yard work—that is more than what is burnt during an hour of lifting weights.
Get Planting
What are you waiting for? The time to start planting is now. You could try planting a vegetable garden or a colorful array of flowers. Either way, the benefits involved are profoundly appealing.
Not sure where to start? That’s where we come in. Senior Security Alliance USA posts new articles every week talking about various gardening topics—there’s sure to be some helpful information to get your garden thriving!
